On a Formula 1 track, the “tenths” you need as a driver are everywhere around you.
Sometimes, finding those tenths comes down to just how much risk you are willing to take.
The first qualifying session of the 2025 F1 season is in the books, and when the dust settled it was an all-papaya front row, as Lando Norris grabbed pole position just ahead of teammate Oscar Piastri. The result is a strong opening chapter from McLaren as they look to defend their Constructors’ Championship, and the start both McLaren drivers were hoping for as they eye a run at the Drivers’ Championship.
For Norris, he believes pole position came down to a willingness to take “a good amount of risks.”
Asked in the FIA Press Conference after qualifying about whether he expected a “stronger challenge” from Ferrari, Norris spoke at length about just what it takes to find the time you need as a driver.
“We definitely came into qualifying expecting a fight with Ferrari, although Max [Verstappen] was not far behind, as he said, he was a bit surprised to be up here,” began Norris. “I think we expected more from Ferrari.
“People are quick to judge, ‘oh he’s there on the timesheets, they’re slower, the car isn’t good’. But it’s difficult out there to put a lap together,” continued Norris. “When you see how close one-tenth can be it can easily be three or four positions.”
Norris then expanded on what it takes to deliver the lap you need in qualifying, when the field is so close.
“A tenth is easily within most drivers every lap, especially on a track like this. It’s about commitment, pushing that little more on the final lap, getting off the brakes, committing to corners, [and] pushing track limits,” described Norris. “There’s a tenth in most people. Sometimes two-tenths in taking those risks. I felt I still took a good amount of risks in the final lap to get pole.
“But I did expect Ferrari to be quicker. Whether that’s because they didn’t put good laps in or struggled more with the car, I don’t know. You’d have to ask them. We all expected Ferrari to be quicker because they have been just as quick as us all weekend,” concluded Norris. “So it’s more that they just didn’t perform in qualifying for whatever reason.”
With both Norris and Piastri on the front row, the much-discussed “Papaya Rules” from 2024 come to mind. Last season as Norris was trying to chase down Verstappen in the Drivers’ Championship standings — and McLaren was looking to secure their first Constructors’ title since 1998 — racing between Norris and Piastri at the front of the field became a major talking point.
Asked about “protecting the one-two result” by the brilliant Luke Smith at The Athletic, both drivers talked about the “number one rule” heading into the season at McLaren.
Do no harm.
“There have obviously been discussions because … We’re prepared because we know we’re going to have more of this kind of thing over the season,” began Norris. “There are clearly rules we cannot cross. Both cars must always stay in the race, but we’re both competitors. That’s clear.
“We both want to fight for a win and victories. But there are boundaries around the car—just a little more space here and there,” Norris added. “We’re free to race, free to try and win races. But what won us the Constructors’ last year was how we helped one another and how we kept things clean. How there was order when there needed to be. A lot of that was later in the season when external things were happening.
“Right now, there’s none of that. So we’re both excited. Of course, we’ll have our morning talks, but that’s normal.”
Piastri shared that assessment.
“We’re free to race each other. I want to win as much as Lando does. He summed it up well. I think in any team, not just McLaren, the number one rule is no contact,” described Piastri. “We must give each other space. If there are opportunities for either of us to take advantage of situations, we will.
“But ultimately, we are racing for the team. That’s important. We’ve said many times that the teamwork we showed last year helped us win the Constructors’. It’s important to recognize that fact.
“The car has been strong for a while, but also the team is very strong too. That’s as good as I can put it.”
McLaren begins their title defense on Sunday in Melbourne, where they’ll be looking for every tenth they can find on the track.
